“We’re excited to feature Lorraine in our new TV advertisement, which will highlight Wayfair’s broad range, from budget-friendly finds to high-end styles, and show just how easy it is to shop for every room in the home at Wayfair.co.uk.”

Lorraine will also collaborate with Wayfair on a festive dining room makeover project. Launching onsite on Wayfair.co.uk in November, Lorraine will show shoppers how to style their homes for the Christmas season and share her top gift picks.

“I’m delighted to be teaming up with Wayfair this year,” commented Lorraine Kelly. “It’s a fantastic one-stop-shop which makes it so easy for shoppers to find unique pieces for any room in their home. Whether you’re looking for budget-friendly basics for the bathroom or a striking statement piece for your living room, Wayfair’s got it covered.”

Located upstairs at the front of the store, the 20-seater café is open from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday. The menu offers cakes and hot and cold drinks and there are plans to start providing mezzes and light lunches.

Dinghams is also in the process of getting an alcohol licence, which will work well with a further plan: to organise supper clubs and open evenings. A coffee bar for downstairs is also on the agenda.

The housewares business has been run by the Hardingham family since 1982, and the new cafe is the idea of two of the younger members of the family: sisters Becca and Nicola Hardingham.

They told www.HousewaresLive.net: “There used to be a cafe here 12 years ago and we still had people coming in asking if it was open. That was a good sign that we needed to bring it back!

“Retail is increasingly becoming a tougher industry to be in, especially as an independent. So we felt that a good way to bring people in – and move the shop forward – was to create a fun and relaxing experience for the customer.” Although it’s early days, the cafe has had a great response already, they report.

Becca and Nicola have taken over running the Dinghams business from Ann Hardingham and her daughter Sarah, who are both “enjoying a well-deserved retirement”. They are granddaughters of Ann and nieces of Sarah, “so we’ve grown up with Dinghams,” they explain.

There is a second Dinghams cookshop, 25 miles away in the Hampshire town of Winchester, which opened in 1993. This branch does not have a cafe “and we have no plans to change that, as Winchester is doing quite well. We think this is because a lovely restaurant has opened next door, so that’s bringing more people to the street,” Becca and Nicola said.

]]>Products for the home and retail parks lead in slow Julyhttp://www.housewareslive.net/products-for-the-home-and-retail-parks-lead-in-slow-july/
Mon, 14 Aug 2017 09:42:21 +0000http://www.housewareslive.net/?p=12023UK retail footfall in July fell by 1.1% year-on-year, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard. This figure is below the three-month rolling average of -0.4%.

Covering the four weeks from July 2 to July 29, the BRC-Springboard’s monthly monitor said the high street was hardest hit with a drop of 2.1%, while shopping centres experienced their fourth consecutive month of decline with a 1.3% fall. But retail parks saw growth of 1.7%.

Across the country, the East and south-east of England were the only two regions that saw footfall growth. The fastest growth was in the East. But the steepest decline was in the south-west of England and Greater London, which both showed a fall of 2.1%.

Wales showed the first decline in seven months at -0.9% and Scotland saw a further decline from -0.2% in June to -0.4% in July.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE commented: “Most shopping destinations saw a decline in footfall in July compared with the previous year. Even high streets, which have seen fairly stable growth over recent months, reported a decline.

“Retail parks were the exception. They have fared relatively well since March, reflecting in part lower rental costs compared with prime and town centre locations, as well as convenience for shoppers.

“The overall decline in footfall translated into weak sales performances for stores, in non-food particularly, which fell further into negative territory as consumers reined back spending on non-essential items.”

She noted that the vacancy rate in UK retail was now “at its highest” for a year and said this news “fails to brighten the picture for what was evidently a challenging month for retailers. Nearly one in 10 retail shops currently lie vacant and those in some vulnerable communities remain persistently empty, limiting the chances of these places to thrive.

“What’s more, September’s RPI [Retail Price Index] which is expected to be in the region of 4%, represents a substantial increase in business rates for retailers in April 2018. So the Government’s commitment to switch to CPI [Consumer Price Index] indexation should really be brought forward from 2020.”

Springboard marketing and insights director Diane Wehrle said: “July’s results might well mark a sea change in consumers’ willingness to spend, as it was the first time since January that footfall dropped during both retail trading hours and into the evening.

“Over the last few months, the growing importance of the leisure-based trip has become a key part of the narrative when talking about retail destinations. But a 0.5% drop in footfall post-5pm in July is the first evidence of a tightening of purse strings.

But she added: “Despite a drop in fashion sales, consumers increased their spending on products for the home and out-of-town locations were the beneficiaries. July’s 1.7% increase in out-of-town footfall is the fifth increase in as many months, and averaging +1.9% since March compared with -0.3% over the previous five month period.”

Diane concluded: “These results, together with the high level of consumer borrowing and an increase in the vacancy rate to 9.6% – the highest it’s been since July last year – suggest that trading conditions could be reaching a tipping point into a period of restraint.”

Heading up the league again is ‘Nadiya’s British Food Adventure’. Written by 2015 Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain, the book is a tie-in to her current BBC2 show of the same name.

In this eight-part series, Nadiya travels across the country to meet the growers, producers and pioneers behind ‘the best of modern British food’ and creates new recipes using their produce.

Episode five is on tomorrow (Monday August 14) at 8.30pm. In this instalment Nadiya visits Yorkshire. She meets one of the area’s last shore fisherman, and cooks him baked sea trout with sun-dried tomatoes and lemons. Nadiya then discovers Razan Alsous’s local halloumi. At Razan’s factory, Nadiya massages the cheese and makes watermelon and halloumi skewers. She also makes rhubarb and custard ice cream sandwiches and Yorkshire puddings filled with strawberry jam and custard.

Inspired by her culinary tour, Nadiya has created more than 120 recipes for the book that mix the local ingredients she encounters with her favourite flavours, with a nod to her Bangladeshi roots.

Nadiya is also on BBC2 on Tuesday (August 15) as co-host of BBC2’s new competitive cookery show ‘The Big Family Cooking Showdown’, which makes its debut at 8pm.

At number two is Joe Wicks’‘Cooking for Family and Friends: 100 Lean Recipes to Enjoy Together’. All the recipes are organised into reduced-carb and post-workout chapters, just like Joe’s first three ‘Lean in 15’ books. The recipes are described as ‘big on flavour and packed with the hero ingredients you need to impress your mates, fuel your workout and burn fat’.

‘James Martin’s French Adventure’ is at number eight. This book showcases the chef’s favourite recipes from his current ITV series of the same name.

In the 10-part series, James travels the length and breadth of France sampling the local cuisine, to show viewers what inspired him as a chef. Episode six airs on Thursday (August 17) at 8.30pm, when James heads to Bresse, home to one of the country’s most famous ingredients: the Bresse chicken.

After visiting Louhans market, he cooks using the region’s revered chicken in his chicken blanquette. James then visits a chicken farm and museum and later meets one of his culinary heroes, Georges Blanc, owner of his eponymous three Michelin star restaurant.

The book contains 80 classic French recipes, as well as James’s own takes on some of the dishes he tastes on the road.

‘Comfort: Delicious Bakes and Family Treats’ by Candice Brown is in ninth place. This is the first cookbook by the 2016 Bake Off winner and is focused on home comforts.

The tome features recipes that Candice learned to bake from her nan and mum. They cover baking with kids, birthday parties for all ages, Christmas, afternoon tea, quick savoury bakes for weeknights and fancier recipes for weekends.

‘Tom Kerridge’s Dopamine Diet’ is in tenth position. The Michelin-starred chef claims that thanks to his Dopamine Diet, he has shed 11 stone over the past three years.

The recipes feature ingredients that, according to publisher Bloomsbury, trigger the release of the ‘happy hormone’ dopamine in your brain. Tom’s ‘dopamine heroes’ include dairy products such as double cream and yoghurt, good-quality meats including beef, chicken and turkey, and even chocolate. Bloomsbury said: ‘By ditching alcohol and starchy carbs in favour of plenty of protein, fresh fruit and veg, you will be eating meals that will help you shed the weight, whilst offering a satisfying intensity of flavour

One cookbook appears in the non-fiction paperback chart. At number six is ‘The Clever Guts Diet’ by Dr Michael Mosley. Drawing from research, Dr Mosley provides scientifically proven ways to control your cravings, boost your mood, and lose weight by increasing your ‘good gut bacteria’ that keeps you healthy. The book features recipes, meal plans, checklists and tips.

These book charts were published in ‘The Mail on Sunday’ ‘Event’ magazine on August 13.

]]>Sainsbury’s trials UK’s first 30-minute Click & Collect grocery servicehttp://www.housewareslive.net/sainsburys-trials-uks-first-30-minute-click-collect-grocery-service/
Sun, 13 Aug 2017 12:40:22 +0000http://www.housewareslive.net/?p=12017Sainsbury’s launched a trial on Friday (August 11) that enables customers to order and pay for their shopping online via the Chop Chop app and pick it up from the store just 30 minutes later.

The retailer said it is the UK’s first supermarket to offer sub one-hour collection options.

The trial is taking place at Sainsbury’s Pimlico store in London and is limited to the Android version of the Chop Chop app.

Customers will be able to select and pay for up to 25 items for collection in 30 minutes, seven days a week, with no fee for the service. The orders will be packed and ready for the customer to retrieve by showing their order number at the store’s Chop Chop desk. This number will be available via the app or can be sent in an email.

Sainsbury’s director of online Clodagh Moriarty commented: “We want to offer a customer experience that is differentiated in terms of price but also in terms of service, with complete customer autonomy and excellent flexibility.

“The way customers are shopping is changing as they look for faster and more convenient options, and we want to continue leading the way in giving them the services they need to shop wherever and whenever they want.

“We were the first UK supermarket to introduce one-hour delivery last year and we’re now delighted to be the first to trial a 30 minute Click & Collect service. It’s an exciting time for the business and we hope to see a positive response from our shoppers.”

A total of 20 stars from the worlds of sport and show business are taking part in series 12 of the show.

They will face an assortment of culinary challenges, under the eyes of judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace. They will also cook for food critics and past show winners in their bid to win the crown of ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ champion of 2017.

The first challenge is the Mystery Box. The contestants must use the ingredients in the box, which include lamb loin, goat’s cheese, butternut squash and rhubarb, as well as a basic larder, to create one dish.

The celebrities are then split into two groups to take on the challenge of cooking for the first time in a restaurant kitchen, preparing dishes for paying customers. Jim, Stephen and Henri head to Aster, which is heavily influenced by Nordic and French cuisine, while Angellica and Julia are sent to Temper.

In the final test, the contestants are asked to prepare a two-course menu of their own design in just one hour. The celebrities work furiously in a last attempt to prove themselves to the judges, because at the end of this test one of them will be going home.

Simon is best-known for being the chef and co-presenter on Channel 4’s ‘Sunday Brunch’. He has presented and cooked across many shows and channels including BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and UKTV; and his credits include ‘Tricks of the Restaurant Trade’, ‘Breaking into Tesco’s’, ‘Eat the Week’, ‘Great British Menu’ and ‘Win It, Cook It’.

Aside from his TV work, Simon has also written and published five cookbooks and he regularly contributes to food magazines. He is a chef/owner of nine restaurants in the north-west England and one in Dubai.

Simon says: “I am so excited, terrified and proud to be invited to be part of Strictly 2017. I’ve always been a huge fan of the show. When I put on my sequins and hit the floor it will genuinely be my very first time dancing ballroom and latin. Nobody will try harder, have more fun or get more out of it than me. I can’t wait.”

He will join fellow contestants Joe McFadden, Reverend Richard Coles, Gemma Atkinson, Ruth Langsford, Davood Ghadami and Mollie King when the 15th series of the BAFTA award-winning show will return in the Autumn.

More celebrity contestants will be announced in due course.

]]>The Big Family Cooking Showdown kicks off on Tuesdayhttp://www.housewareslive.net/the-big-family-cooking-showdown-kicks-off-on-tuesday/
Sun, 13 Aug 2017 11:45:39 +0000http://www.housewareslive.net/?p=12008The first episode of BBC2’s new cookery competition ‘The Big Family Cooking Showdown’ will air on Tuesday August 15 at 8pm.

Presented by 2015 Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain and Zoe Ball, the 12-part series will delve into kitchens across the country in search of the nation’s best family of cooks.

Judging the contestants’ efforts are cookery teacher Rosemary Shrager and Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli. The pair will set challenges in both the studio kitchen and home kitchens, whittling down 16 teams of cooks over eight heats, three semi-finals and one grand finale.

In each one-hour episode, two families (represented by three family members) will go head to head, tested by three rounds.

In the ‘£10 Challenge’, the teams must showcase their best effort to feed four with a budget of £10, within one hour and 15 minutes. In the ‘Home Visits Challenge’, the teams must cook a main course and a dessert within 90 minutes. In the ‘Impress the Neighbours Challenge’, the teams must create a starter and a main course within two hours and 15 minutes.

In episode one, the Marks family from west London go up against the Charles family from Yorkshire.

Commenting the show, the broadcaster said: ‘Will the Marks family impress the judges with their Scandinavian-inspired dishes or will the Charles’ food, influenced by far-flung holidays, wow them?

‘In the Marks’ kitchen, 86-year-old grandmother and former model Toren has a lust for life and rules the roost, but will her age-old family recipe for Swedish meatballs hit the mark? Betty is the boss in the Charles family, but will her decision to serve up a risotto to a Michelin-starred Italian chef pay off?’

]]>Notonthehighstreet.com, Harrods and West Elm to speak at Top Drawer showhttp://www.housewareslive.net/notonthehighstreet-com-harrods-and-west-elm-to-speak-at-top-drawer/
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 19:17:47 +0000http://www.housewareslive.net/?p=12004Top Drawer has revealed details of the speaker line-up for next month’s London trade show

The Autumn/Winter edition of the exhibition, which will be held from Sunday September 10 to Tuesday September 12 at Olympia, will feature 1,500 brands across four sectors: home, gift, craft and fashion.

Organizer Clarion Events has arranged a programme of talks, panels and masterclasses across the three days.

On Monday (September 11), keynote speaker Holly Tucker will take to the stage for one hour from 11am. She is the co-founder of online marketplace Notonthehighstreet.com.

Holly’s contribution to business has been recognised through a number of awards over the years, most notably by her MBE for services to small businesses and enterprise and her appointment as the UK Ambassador for Creative Small Businesses in 2015.

On Tuesday (September 12) keynote speaker Rina Bhansali, head of merchandising of London department store Harrods will speak from 11am to 11:45am about ‘the art of the customer experience’. She will discuss home and stationery buying decisions, explore trends and influences, and share tips on maintaining success in the luxury sector.

There will be a masterclass on Monday (September 11) from 1pm to 2pm on the theme of ‘exploring colour’ hosted by Farrow & Ball colour consultant Joa Studholme.

She will share ideas on combining colours and making the most of light. Joa will also cover design decisions and how colour and texture can create a product range that your customers will react to.

Joa has worked with Farrow & Ball for more than 20 years. From developing and naming new Farrow & Ball colours, to consulting on design schemes and experimenting with paint and paper every day, Joa has a wealth of experience on both residential and commercial projects.

On Tuesday (September 12) from 2.30pm to 3pm there will be an ‘in conversation’ session on ‘the rise of the designer maker within retail’ with Jess Sims, marketing manager of retailer West Elm.

Clarion Events said: ‘Taking on a traditional industry, West Elm has incredibly successfully brought innovation to retail, challenging the way in which retailers work with designers… and Jess is firmly establishing the retailer as a key player on the UK’s homes and interiors scene by driving community building both online and off.’

The talk promises to cover ‘entrepreneurial tips and practical advice for your design led businesses’.

Caple furniture manager Doug Haswell said: “Our new Darga furniture comes in seven muted colourways, which are in line with the latest trends on the contemporary kitchen catwalk. With this versatility, you can put your personal touch on the kitchen you choose with one colour or mix and match to create a more individual hub of the home.”